A drilling machine emerged into Stepney Green westbound caverns, marking another important stage for Crossrail today (November 7th).

It signifies progress on Crossrail's 42 km of tunnels, now over the halfway stage, with each being 6.2 metres in diameter.

The machine is the first of four being used, boring tunnels and connecting them to the site, which is one of the largest constructed caverns in Europe, with another expected in a few weeks.

Once complete, Stepney will form the section where the line splits in two directions, with one rail heading northeast to Shenfield, Essex and another going southeast to Abbey Wood.

Crossrail will now provide maintenance to the machine, before sending it on more work. Its appearance at Stepney Green is part of the 8.3 km tunnel being created between Limmo peninsula and Farringdon.

The organisation states its expects to finish major tunnelling by the end of next year and one machine has already completed a line from Royal Oak to Farringdon.